Philadelphia, PA vs Columbus, OH
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Philadelphia, PA outspends Columbus, OH by a wide margin per resident — $56,272 versus $18,858, a 198% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Columbus, OH edges Philadelphia, PA on the Fiscal Health Score by 7 points — 52/100 (grade C) to 45/100 (grade D). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Philadelphia, PA carries the lighter load at $1,069 per resident versus $1,145 for Columbus, OH. Their budgets diverge on where the largest per-resident dollars go: Philadelphia, PA leads with fire protection at $7,082 per resident, while Columbus, OH leads with parks and recreation at $2,168.
Summary
Philadelphia spends 198.4% more per capita than Columbus ($37,414/person difference). Columbus, OH has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (C, 52/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $107 | $234 |
| Income Tax | $8 | $1 |
| Intergovernmental | $6,288 | $0 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,790 | $2,389 |
| Other | $4,029 | $5,248 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $1,505 | $0 |
| Fire Protection | $7,082 | $1,016 |
| Highways & Roads | $1,215 | $224 |
| Public Welfare | $1,456 | $878 |
| Health | $229 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $4,048 | $953 |
| Parks & Recreation | $593 | $2,168 |
| Housing | $4,902 | $4,303 |
| Sewerage | $325 | $1 |
| Utilities | $4,222 | $1,719 |
| Interest on Debt | $3 | $0 |
| Other | $30,692 | $7,595 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.